Key points
- Ennismore and Central Group Capital have signed an agreement to introduce the Rixos brand to Thailand, selecting Phuket’s quieter Mai Khao coastline for a resort that will combine more than 600 guestrooms and villas, extensive dining, entertainment, sports facilities, and an integrated waterpark.
- As this Thailand Hotel News report highlights, the property is currently managed by Ennismore and will undergo an extensive renovation before emerging under the Rixos Water World Phuket name in early 2028.
- Younger guests will have access to a dedicated Kids Club offering activities centered on creativity, discovery, and play, while older children will have a separate Teens Club designed as a social and entertainment space.
Rixos is preparing to make a major entrance into Thailand’s competitive luxury resort market with Rixos Water World Phuket, an ambitious all-inclusive beachfront development scheduled to open in early 2028. Ennismore and Central Group Capital have signed an agreement to introduce the Rixos brand to Thailand, selecting Phuket’s quieter Mai Khao coastline for a resort that will combine more than 600 guestrooms and villas, extensive dining, entertainment, sports facilities, and an integrated waterpark. The project involves the major refurbishment and rebranding of the current Splash Beach Resort in Mai Khao, Phuket.
Image Credit: Thailand Hotel News (AI-Generated)
The project represents a significant expansion of the luxury all-inclusive concept in Phuket, where international hotel groups continue to compete for families and high-spending leisure travelers. Located in Thalang District, the resort will occupy a beachfront setting in Mai Khao while providing access to other well-known parts of the island. As this Thailand Hotel News report highlights, the property is currently managed by Ennismore and will undergo an extensive renovation before emerging under the Rixos Water World Phuket name in early 2028.
More Than 600 Rooms and a Major Waterpark
Rixos Water World Phuket is planned as a large-scale destination resort rather than simply another beachfront hotel. Its accommodation inventory will exceed 600 guestrooms and villas, supported by shared spaces designed around relaxation, entertainment, recreation, and social experiences.
Among its defining attractions will be an integrated waterpark, envisioned as a destination in its own right with aquatic attractions and experiences suitable for different age groups.
The broader recreation program is expected to include swimming pools, beach activities, organized sports, wellness experiences, and live entertainment. Evening programming will feature performances, music, and shows, extending the resort experience beyond daytime beach and pool activities.
For Phuket, the scale of the development could add another dimension to the island’s family resort market, particularly among travelers seeking vacations where accommodation, dining, activities, and entertainment can be combined within one property.
Dining Takes Center Stage
Food and beverage will be another major component, with five distinctive venues planned across the resort.
Rixos intends to introduce its “world of choice” dining philosophy, combining substantial all-day dining with specialty à la carte restaurants and more relaxed beachfront options. Menus are expected to feature Thai and Asian cuisine alongside Italian, Latin American, and international selections.
Poolside snacks, casual dining, bars, and lounges will broaden the offering throughout the day, supporting the brand’s “All-Inclusive, All-Exclusive” philosophy.
That approach seeks to move beyond traditional perceptions of all-inclusive vacations by combining premium dining and beverages with entertainment, sports, activities, and resort experiences within the overall stay.
Families, Sports and Wellness in Focus
Families will be central to the Phuket property’s positioning. Younger guests will have access to a dedicated Kids Club offering activities centered on creativity, discovery, and play, while older children will have a separate Teens Club designed as a social and entertainment space.
Active travelers will be served by an Exclusive Sports Club featuring a fully equipped indoor gym, multifunctional areas for group classes, an outdoor jungle gym near the beach, and several sports courts.
Adults looking for a quieter experience will have access to a spa drawing inspiration from Rixos’ Turkish hospitality heritage. Guests will also be able to combine wellness with beach and water activities along Mai Khao’s coastline.
The property is additionally expected to feature one of Phuket’s largest banqueting and MICE facilities, positioning it to compete for conferences, corporate gatherings, incentive groups, and large-scale events as well as leisure business.
Rixos Sees Thailand as a Key Asian Market
François Baudin, Chief Business Officer for Rixos and the ALL Inclusive Collection, described the Thailand signing as an important moment in the brand’s Asian growth strategy.
He said the arrival of Rixos Water World Phuket, alongside Rixos Phu Quoc Vietnam, would introduce new audiences to the company’s immersive and experience-led approach, built around restaurants and bars, entertainment, sports, wellness, and extensive facilities for children and teenagers.
Central Group Capital also views Phuket as a compelling long-term hospitality market.
Soravit Chairoj, Managing Partner and Co-Head of Central Group Capital, said the project would introduce a differentiated all-inclusive concept to Thailand while broadening Phuket’s appeal among families and international visitors seeking experience-led resorts.
The partnership gives Rixos a prominent local connection through Central Group while providing the Thai group with an internationally established resort brand known particularly across Turkey, the Middle East, and other leisure destinations.
Ennismore Accelerates Its All-Inclusive Expansion
The Phuket signing comes during a wider expansion of Ennismore’s global all-inclusive portfolio. The group has more than 70 all-inclusive resorts either operating or under development, representing over 30,000 rooms worldwide.
Recent additions to its portfolio include SO/ Ras Al Khaimah, Rixos Murjana, Rixos Tersane Istanbul, Rixos Obhur Jeddah, SLS Playa Mujeres, and Hyde Bodrum. Its development pipeline also includes projects in Mexico, Egypt, and Dubai.
Rixos Water World Phuket will become part of Ennismore’s ALL Inclusive Collection, which brings together resorts from brands including Rixos, SO/, Hyde, SLS, and Swissôtel.
The platform aims to reposition all-inclusive travel around design, premium dining, entertainment, activities, and elevated service rather than the more standardized resort packages traditionally associated with the sector.
A New Competitor for Phuket’s Resort Market
The arrival of Rixos could become one of the more closely watched luxury resort debuts in Phuket over the next two years. Mai Khao already attracts international travelers seeking a quieter alternative to the island’s busier tourism centers, and a resort exceeding 600 rooms with its own waterpark, extensive entertainment, sports facilities, dining venues, spa, and major events infrastructure will significantly expand the area’s hospitality offering.
For Rixos, Thailand represents an important step deeper into Asia and an opportunity to test its established all-inclusive formula in one of the region’s best-known resort destinations. For Phuket, the opening promises another internationally recognized brand and a large new hospitality product targeting families, leisure travelers, groups, and events. If the concept performs as its partners expect, Rixos Water World Phuket could also help accelerate interest in premium all-inclusive resorts elsewhere in Thailand.
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For more on Central Capital, visit:
https://centralgroupcapital.com/
